By Reni M. Valenzuela
Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be worse than a boxer who fought a hundred times and lost a hundred times. An outstanding record of an athlete can only be as true as his courage to compete with the toughest and the best.
Good news doesn’t come often in boxing. But Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s jump from HBO to Showtime Sports is a welcome development.
FMJ might have inhaled from clearer lungs. And it may be a breath of fresh air for a sport battling from “trudging ailments.” It’s interesting that the unbeaten pound-for-pound superstar is scheduled to fight six times in 30 months under a deal with Showtime. I go thumbs-up to that.
Mayweather is ripe and ready to lose but not in the sense that Robert Guerrero tries to suggest because Mayweather is unchanged. He has reformed only as a mature person to become closer to reality and His Maker.
His faith merely deepens. No slippage as a master pugilist.
Mayweather has probably grown up.
Without tainting his boxing record, childish Mayweather has experienced losing and losing badly when he was incarcerated in a solitary confinement for two months last year. (Hope he has read the entire Bible and two books I gave him during that time.) Yet he emerged victorious in a way that could be better for him than winning any one of his 43 professional fights.
Mayweather is back to his father as his trainer for the forthcoming Guerrero fight. He might have been awakened to be touched by virtues and to see that there is preciousness in losing when he once tasted it in a prison cell. I have preached in jails and have not seen hearts as open to the Gospel as those of the “hungry” inmates.
God moves in mysterious ways.
The best ought to fight the best. That’s a rule for champions in any sport. Otherwise, titles must be detached from substance. Money Floyd has no option.
Unless he fights the other bests of this generation, those with skills to equalize his style, by ceasing to handpick his opponents and refusing to duck challenges, Mayweather has never won a single bout in his entire career as a pro boxer. His record would perhaps read to some as 43 fights with 43 losses. The “zero loss” in his resume would to them boast nothing beyond the hollowness of ego and “smart” choices. The proud Money numbers would be mere numbers. And they literally would weigh zero on top of a genuine scale.
Champions don’t shrink. And the truer ones don’t always win.
Coming to terms for a date with fellow boxers that are in the category of “to duck” in Mayweather’s secret list is Mayweather’s only way to prove he’s not afraid of mountains. Nothing less than facing his biggest fears by facing Manny Pacquiao and Sergio Martinez would convince the world of his claim to be an all time great, win or lose. Pacquiao’s recent KO loss to “magician” Marquez is immaterial.
Hence Mayweather would rather risk losing to win detractors and win back admirers rather than avoid losing and risk being hated or scorned, forever.
Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero may not be listed in Mayweather’s roster of boxers to duck, but he may have simply overlooked the man. Mayweather should be prepared on May 4 because the boxing world expects the best of a “brave Mayweather” as the cynical fans are not likely to hesitate falling for him and a sport recuperating in a sickbed.
Never mind losing, Floyd. Just shine!
renimvalenzuela@yahoo.com
Got an Opinion? Submit Your Articles and Press Releases to be posted on NowBoxing.com
*Please refrain from leaving any Racist, Profane or Derogatory comments*
